Defeat of the Lions: Souls Unbound
---- Defeat of the Lions Arc Souls Unbound ---- Previously... Gia's aura climbed as she walked towards him. She now wore a red dress, black boots and her horns were still dark. Her hair was pulled up into pigtails and an eye tattoo was on her forehead. Wrappings from her waist were also wrapped around her forearms. '' ''She didn't speak, she just let her red angry eyes bore into Haru's soul. The eyes that knew the truth. '' ''That she was his pawn. ---- Haru stood tall without an ounce of fear in his stance. His teammates, not so much. The girl before him was ready to pounce after he had uncaringly run his mouth. Unfortunately, Gia was one of those people. The ones who refused to see the truth. It angered her. It made her blood boil and her summoned claws dig into her clenched hands. Unfortunately, there was only one way to end this battle. As long as they know what I am, they can't walk this Earth any longer. Haru shifted his stance as Gia launched herself at him, red eyes gleaming with anger. She repeatedly struck him, her blows much more vicious than the last time they had fought. Her intentions in this battle were so obvious it might as well been written on a banner behind her. She slammed her heel into his ribs causing him to groan in pain and roundhouse kicked him in the back of the head. "Haru!" Cara cried. She turned to her green haired teammate and began to plead. "We have to help him! I don't care what he says!" Reed held her tightly to his taller frame. "No, if things go bad..." "Things are already bad!" she shouted. Reed sighed and held her tighter, escape not slipping her mind not even for a second. "You heard what he said, we have to trust him. Cara, when has our trust in him ever failed us?" he soothed. Cara looked fretfully at the ongoing battle, watching her teammate get pummled. She nodded. "Okay." Gia roared as she let out a flurry of shadows to attack Haru. "DARKNESS STREAM!" she bit out. The hands of the shadows grasped him and choked his muscles. Gia's stare darkened as she watched her "creations" slowly destroy him. "You should've just died like all the rest. You couldn't have just walked out of town. No, you just had to stick your noses in other folks business! Now you'll see exactly where that gets you: hell." she ground out, venom in her tone. Haru gargled as the shadow hands held him even tighter. Somehow, he managed to cough out a spell to free himself. "Hades...Scream!" he wheezed. The shadowy hands suddenly disappeared, too weak to withstand the blast of darkness. Gia growled in disappointment. "USELESS BEINGS!" ''she shouted. "I'll end you myself!" "I'd like to see you try." Haru wheezed. Gia threw her head back and released a loud, dark laugh. "Look at you, beat me? You're in no condition to go on. At this rate you'll keel over before my transformation goes off again." she taunted. "Tch, get real. It is my job to defeat you." he said, standing tall once more. "You think you're the only one with transformations?" "This I gotta see." Gia mused, crossing her arms. Haru stood straight and crossed his arms in front of his chest and his dark aura cloaked him in its power. Suddenly, it all enveloped him and he let out a roar. Reed smiled as he watched from the sidelines. "See? He's got this." he reassured Cara. ''"ABSOLUTE DARKNESS!" Haru stood before Gia, glowing. His wings flapped behind him soundlessly as his now ruby eyes stared at hers. "Is this enough for you?" he sneered. "We'll see." Gia growled as she launched herself at him again. The two collided in the middle, both wrestling for dominance. "Admit what you know." Haru said flatly. "Shut up half-breed!" Gia bit back, forcing more energy out. Haru exerted more of his dark energy and kicked her in the side, knocking her off her feet. "Gah!" she squeaked as she fell onto her hands. Preforming a quick cartwheel, she was back on her feet for a brief second only to be pushed back again, only this time into the wall behind her. "Hate isn't resolved through murder, Gia." Haru tried to reason again. Gia huffed and spit in the corner. "Your death with please Father, and that's all that matters to me!" she retorted. "But he's lying to you." Haru argued. "And you're aware of the fact that he is." "There's nothing I don't know. He told me everything after I was rescued!" Gia shouted, her throat suddenly tightening. Haru stared at her. "So she doesn't know everything." ''he thought sadly to himself. He took a deep breath, slightly ashamed at himself for what he was about to say. "Gia, there's something he's been keeping from you for many, ''many ''years." Haru began. "If you don't believe me, you can ask Master Jordan when this is all over. Abraham did not save you, in fact he was only putting you in more danger." "You're stupid as hell. I'm safe here. Shut up and take your beating like the good half-breed you are!" Gia spoke, her tone raising towards the end of her sentence. Quickly, she rushed at him and called out a spell. '"SOUL EXTINCTOR!"' she shouted. The blast of darkness engulfed Haru and created a thick cloud of smoke. Gia smirked, believing she had won but was soon proved wrong as a large hand pinned her to the wall behind her. "Abraham is a killer, a ''murderer. He used to massacre villages and guilds just for stupid books." Haru continued. "Oh please! I've taken books with him on several occasions! We've never harmed villages, there aren't any left." she defended. "The last village, my home, was destroyed in a village raid when I was just a child." "Exactly, and harming those guilds weren't raids?" Haru quipped. "Of course no-!" Gia began but her voice was caught in her throat. Her eyes widened as his words sank deep into her skin, mentally marring her. He killed them. Gia's bangs covered her eyes. Suddenly, the large hand holding her exploded into dark particles and Gia rushed forward with a roar, catching Haru off guard. She held her palms together and shouted a spell. "STYGIAN BLAST CIRCLE!" rung throughout the empty hall. Haru fell back, eyes deep in shock. His aura depleted around him and his transformation reverted back to his original form. A dribble of blood dripped onto Haru's chin and cheek. He held his side that was also oozing red. He had lost. Cara and Reed watched in shock as their teammate lay on the ground, seemingly lifeless. Tears pooled in Cara's eyes and Reed only held her tighter. "I told you, DON'T FUCKING MESS WITH ME!" Gia roared as she prepared another blast. ''"BEGONE, HALF-BREED!" ''She called out the name of the spell, ready to end this war once and for all. ''"Gia, I will always love you." ''a voice rang through her head. "Mom..?" Gia whispered. Suddenly, it all came back to her. The trees, their home, her father's guild, her mother's warm embrace, her father's tricks, it all hit her like a freight train. She fell to her knees, tears brimming in her eyes. She called transformation back and she was back to her human form. Gia let out a loud wail that rung throughout the guild hall, finally letting her years of pent up sadness out. Cara and Reed quickly rushed to their injured teammate, assessing his injuries. "Haru!" they both called. "Hey man, stay with us! You're gonna be fine." Haru chuckled and sat up the best he could. "I'm fine, honestly. But she isn't." he said, pointing at the sobbing girl. "Gia." he called her attention. "Don't look at me!" she sobbed. "I'm a ''monster!" ''she wailed, burying her face in her knees. She felt a presence next to her and sniffled as she looked up to see a rugged Haru. "You're not a monster. You were only tricked into becoming one." he soothed. Tears overflowed and swam against her cheeks. For the first time in years, she could cry and feel happy about it. Haru held her the best he could, seeing as he was injured. He made sure his back was facing his teammates, covering their view of the sobbing child. "You can cry. I'll make sure they don't see you." he reassured. And she did.